Protesters gather at Bristol sheriff's home to decry arrests for ICE

Thursday

DARTMOUTH — Demonstrators gathered outside the home of a Massachusetts sheriff on Thanksgiving to protest arrests his department has made to assist federal immigration authorities.

About 20 protesters rallied in frigid temperatures Thursday morning outside the Dartmouth residence of Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, a Republican known for his hardline stances on immigration.

They held banners that read, "Sheriff Hodgson, Stop Separating Families" and "Bristol County, End Your Agreements with ICE."

Police said the protest was peaceable and no arrests were reported.

Hodgson has been criticized for cooperating with the federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency by ordering his deputies to detain people targeted by ICE for deportation. In June, he was named in a federal lawsuit. Hodgson has also faced criticism for his relationship with President Donald Trump, appearing at the White House with the president to announce an online fundraising campaign to build a wall across the United States' southern border.

The protest was organized by the FANG Collective, a Rhode Island-based group which carries out nonviolent social justice actions.

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